Mounting upright posts in base blocks of concrete



Feb. 28, 1967 F. A. H. HAGEBY 3,305,990

MOUNTING UPRIGHT POSTS IN BASE BLOCKS OF CONCRETE Filed April 20, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 ixg INVENTOR. 542:; A. H. Hkeby Feb. 28, 1967 I F. A. H. HAGEBY 3,305,990

MOUNTING UPRIGHT POSTS IN BASE BLOCKS OF CONCRETE Filed April 20, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Fr Ah. f/ag by United States Patent Office 3,305,990 Patented Feb. 28, 1967 3,305,990 MOUNTING UPRIGHT POSTS IN BASE BLOCKS OF CONCRETE Fritz Arne Halvard Hiigeby, Helgevarma, Sweden Filed Apr. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 360,935 Claims priority, application Sweden, Apr. 26, 1963, 4,589/ 63 1 Claim. (Cl. 52-298) This invention is concerned with improvements in mounting upright posts or poles in base blocks of concrete. To erect telegraph poles, lampposts and the like it is nowadays common practice to employ pre-cast base elements which are sunk into the ground and into which the pole or post is then inserted. The known concrete base mountings have certain drawbacks due to the fact that it has not been possible to establish a durable connection between the post and base. The connection or fastening means has to be such that it will neither loosen nor undergo changes to the effect that the post is damaged. Usually, the posts are made of iron and are electroplated (galvanized). When the hold of the post in the concrete base loosens, as it generally does in the constructions employed up to now, some friction will occur between the post and the concrete, and this friction will cause damages in the electroplating. Fastening means made .of metal are therefore not suitable.

It is an object of the invention to provide methods and means for mounting upright posts or poles in bases of concrete with the aid of a fastening element by which the posts or poles may be held safely in their correct positions without being damaged or coming loose from their engagement with the base element. The concrete base or plinth should preferably have side portions inclined upwardly-inwardly, so that it will not be affected by ground deformations due to frost. In regions where the ground may freeze during the winter, this is a prerequisite to ensure an upright position of the post. The plinth is provided with a central channel into which the post is set down. The fastening element consists of rubber or similar material having such properties that it will not damage the electroplating on the post in case the latter indeed does loosen due to particularly unfavorable circumstances. A prerequisite to ensure that the post will normally not become disengaged from the concrete base is that water should be prevented from penetrating into the base, with concomitant risk of ruptures due to freezing of the water. According to the present invention, a fastening element through which the post is inserted is accommodated in a recess in the upper end portion of the central channel in the concrete base, said fastening element having at its upper end portion an outwardly extending covering flange adapted to cover the upper end of the base, and being preferably formed with holes through which pins or pegs are inserted to thus provide a sealing and, at the same time, contribute to locking or clamping the post to the base. The inside of the fastening element may consist of a special material which after application of a suitable liquid thereon will increase in volume to thus ensure a firm locking or clamping relationship between the post and the base. For maximum clamping and sealing it is preferred to employ both the said pins or pegs and the said volumeincreasing material in combination. By driving down a suitable number of pins a firm engagement between the post and base will be obtained. A further advantage of the embodiments using such pins or pegs is that stresses and tensions around the post may thus be distributed uniformly, while at the same time there is obtained a sufficient amount of friction between the post and the fastening element, and between the fastening element and the interior walls of the recess. In case the fastening element indeed does show a tendency to loosen, further pins may be driven through the fastening element, after boring of the necessary further holes therein. The pins should have diameters slightly greater than those of the corresponding holes in the fastening element (so that they must be forced down by, e.g., hammer blows), and they should have a head to facilitate correct forcing down as well as pulling up, if this is required later on.

A suitable embodiment of this invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a concrete base, the right-hand portion of the base being shown in longitudinal section; FIG. 2 is an enlarged view through the upper end portion of the base; FIG. 3 is a top view of the base covered by the flange of the fastening element.

In the embodiment shown in the drawing, a plinth 1 consisting substantially of concrete or the like is formed with a central bore 2 of such dimension that the lower end portion of a post or pole 3 inserted therein touches the channel walls. In the upper part of the channel there is a recess 4 adapted to accommodate a fastening element 5.

This fastening element is provided with a covering flange 6 serving as a cover on the upper end of the concrete plinth. The fastening element moreover has a plurality of bores or holes 7 through which a corresponding number of pins, pegs or screws 8 are driven down. The interior portion of the fastening element may be made of a special rubber, such as butyl rubber, or other similar material having the property of increasing in volume after a suitable substance, for example, a lubricant, such as machine oil, has been applied thereon by brush or other means. If desired of course, as shown in FIGURE 2, also a separate packing 5b may be inserted in an'interior, annular recess SC in fastening element 5a. The said increase in volume will result in a firm connection of the post to the base.

To install the base and the upright post at first a hole is dug in the ground to a suitable depth, whereupon the base or plinth is placed into the hole and earth or earth and stones are packed around it. The fastening element is in serted in the recess 4 after having been provided on its interior face with a lubricant to reduce the friction when the post is installed in the base. The post is then raised to upright position and is then lowered or pushed down through the fastening element into the bore of the base. The post when being inserted in this manner forces the fastening element outwardly so that said element will lie firmly against the concrete. After about one hour the lubricating effect of the lubricant has subsided; the friction between the fastening element and the post will thus have become very great, and in this manner a good joint between the post and the base is obtained. Next, the pins 8 are forced down. Under the action of the compressive stresses arising in the fastening element on this insertion of pins 8 the friction between said element and the post will reach a maximum, and the post will be clamped firmly to the base. The combined action of the compressive stresses and the friction attained will prevent the fastening element from loosening or creeping upwardly when the post is subject to the action of wind or other forces. The same cooperation of pressure and friction will result also if, according to the alternative embodiment described above, the fastening element is caused to increase in volume after application of a suitable liquid. In this latter case, too, the pressure and frictional forces can be further increased by forcing pins, pegs or screws through holes in the fastening element. If the difference is not too great the same fastening elements may be employed provided they are made of an elastic material.

It will be appreciated that the invention is not in any way limited to the embodiments described above but that many modifications may be made without transgression of the spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

A post mounting structure comprising a base element, a post mounted in upright position in said base element, said base element having an annular upper end face and a substantially vertical central bore accommodating said post, and having an annular recess at its upper face around said bore, said post being held in a substantially fixed position in said base element by a clamping device comprising an annular fastening element of a deformable material formed with a central bore snugly enclosing said post, said fastening element having at its upper end an annular flange portion covering said upper end face of said base element, and comprises, belowsaidfiange portion, a hollow cylindrical body portion the exterior part of which is snugly References Cited by the Examiner FOREIGN PATENTS 495,777 9/1953 Canada. 395,628 7/1962 Great Britain. 363,463 9/ 1962 Switzerland.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

A. B. WILLIAMS, R. A. STENZEL, Assistant Examiners. 

